Chapter 15
It was a family affair for Monza. All the Svensson women, plus Oliver, joined them. Everyone felt the need to protect Ingrid now. Antoine and Daniela shared this sentiment. Ingrid didn’t feel like she needed any protection at all, as long as she had Erik.
“Really, everyone, I’m ok,” Ingrid said forcefully.
“They still haven’t found Mark,” Oliver said. “Until then, you have all of us.”
Ingrid was more concerned that Erik would lose focus this weekend and screw up his race. On media day, he was asked about the attack and whether it would impact his race performance.
“I have always raced for my mother, who is a survivor of domestic violence. My race number was hers. It also happens to be Ingrid’s birth date. Now I have two women to spur that determination on. Both women are brave and gritty. I hope I carry at least half of their bravery and grit to the track.”
Ingrid decided that she wasn’t going to hide her bruises or stitches when she entered the paddock on the first day.
She would carry them like a warrior, along with a T-shirt that read ‘survivor’.
She was unsure what her reception would be like in the garage, since Antoine’s side had worked with Mark.
When she entered the garage with the Svenssons, she was completely taken aback.
Every member of the team came up to her and gave her a flower, led by Mark’s former chief mechanic.
He hugged her gently and said, “I’m so sorry for what he did to you”.
Ingrid tried her hardest not to cry, but the tears rolled down her cheeks as everyone came to hand her their flower. Former Dunham teammates also joined in.
“Jules, was this you?” She asked in between tears.
“No, luv, a group of the guys organised it.”
Ingrid’s heart was so full. She felt like the team had her back, even though she wasn’t officially a part of the team.
“I just want to thank all of you, including the Dunham guys and girls. This means so much to me. I didn’t want to miss Monza, plus Erik wasn’t going to let me out of his sight.” She laughed. “Have a great weekend, everyone. Let’s put some music on and prepare to go racing!”
Erik came up to her and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“I love you so much, you know that, right?”
“I love you more than ever.” She kissed him.
“Oh, get a room,” shouted André.
They both laughed.
???
Nico won Monza, but it was his home track, and he was always good there.
Erik and Antoine came 2nd and 3rd respectively.
It was straight on to Madrid, an unknown for everyone.
Ingrid’s wounds were healing up, and she started to feel like herself again.
Oliver felt he could return home. He asked her to please brush her hair properly.
She was now hiding it under silk scarves, which had started a new look for her in the paddock, as well as gifts from Hermès. Those she would definitely accept.
“As much as I love the motorhome existence, it’s nice to have a hotel room to ourselves,” Ingrid said. She went and moved her arms down Erik’s chest from behind as he was sitting on his sim.
“Oh, really?” He said, distracted.
Erik had been like this since the attack. It was fine initially because she was in pain and not in the mood, but now that Ingrid was feeling better, she missed their physical connection.
“Erik, I’m going to pull the plug on that damn sim if you don’t come touch me now.”
She had taken off her clothes by this point.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he said.
“I’m being dead serious. Turn around.” She was holding the cord to his sim.
Erik turned around. Ingrid was no longer the fragile being that he’d been trying to protect for the past few weeks. The battle wounds were still there, but the flames were in her eyes for him. She looked like a Norse warrior, with her bruises and tattoos.
“V?lva!”
She laughed, and the flames disappeared as he got up, leaving his race behind.
“That’s better.” She kissed him longingly.
“You’ll tell me if I hurt you?”
“Yes, I will, I promise.”
They went to the bed. She lay down, and he stroked every part of her body.
Watching him get hard excited her like it had never done before.
The anticipation of finally being connected again.
Erik watched her body move with each touch.
He wanted to be inside her so badly, but he wanted this to last. To make this reconnection memorable.
Finally, he couldn’t take it any longer as he felt how much she wanted him.
“Oh, V?lva, my love,” he said.
Ingrid felt that spark. The moment of reconnection.
“I’ve missed you.”
“I think I’ve missed you more,” he said, and she could feel him struggle to control himself. She grabbed his face.
“Look into my eyes, focus.”
“You really are a sorceress. I can’t control myself with you.”
“Just a little bit longer,” she said, then she kissed him, wrapping her body around him.
“Argh,” he gasped. “Why did you do that to me?”
He could feel her legs clenching around him; she was so close.
“Because I love watching you cross the finish line in first.” She smiled.
He let out a laugh and then wrapped her in his arms. “I can’t believe you threatened to unplug my sim, and naked, to get me to have sex with you. Have I really been that bad?”
“Yes, you’ve treated me like a porcelain doll.”
“Ok, no more, you’re a Valkyrie. We’ll have to look up an appropriate name.”
“How do you know so much about Norse mythology?”
“As a long-time Erik Svensson fan, Rookie, you should know that’s one of my hobbies!” He tickled her.
“Ow, bruises! Don’t make me laugh so hard!”
???
With Oliver gone, Ingrid had invited Claire to join her for Madrid. She had never been to a race before, and she loved Spain. Plus, Claire had been hounding her friend to see her ever since the attack. Erik was on pole and Antoine in P3, so it was going to be a good race for the team.
“Oh, darling, this is so much fun walking around the paddock together!” Claire said.
“Welcome to my life!” Ingrid smiled.
“I must say, you wear those headscarves beautifully. I might try it myself.”
They were seated in the hospitality area, drinking coffee.
“How was the Madrid part of your trip?” Ingrid asked.
“Oh, I love Spain in general, so I’m always happy to be here. I’m thinking of putting some of it in my novel now.”
“Don’t get distracted and off topic now.” Ingrid laughed.
“You know me too well.” Claire smiled at her. “But, darling, tell me how you’re doing? When I saw that video, I was absolutely terrified for you!”
“Everything is healing up nicely. I’m not in as much pain as I was.”
“And emotionally?”
“You know I have the tools to deal with that.” Ingrid smiled reassuringly. “It helps that we’re on the road and not in Monaco at the moment. I think if we were at home, the scene of the crime, I might be struggling a bit more.”
“Any news on Mark? I’ve been asking around because you know he runs with my set. They’re all horrified and wouldn’t help him if he came knocking.”
“Thanks for trying to help. Nothing from the police yet. For all we know, he could still be hiding out in Monaco on a yacht in the Marina!”
Claire grabbed her hand. “Doesn’t that scare you?”
“He wouldn’t dare show his face around me again. Plus, Erik would kill him with his bare hands!” She laughed. “I know I shouldn’t laugh at that, but he’s become so ridiculously protective.”
“No, you shouldn’t laugh. I wish I were so lucky to have an Erik in my life!”
“Maybe you’ll meet someone on the grid?” She winked.
Madrid was new to the calendar, sparking interest mainly within the motorsport world.
Erik had managed to get them grid passes.
There were a few footballers for Claire to look at, as well as some former drivers who still liked to come to races.
Ingrid left Claire talking to someone whom she didn’t recognise and went to Antoine.
“Mon amie! It has been so long since we had you on the grid with us,” he said.
“I know, I missed our chats, so I came to give you and Bonbon a hug,” she said, hugging them both.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore?” Bonnie asked.
“Only a little.”
“Ok, I’m going to leave you to finish prepping and go find my friend, then my Norse god,” she said, leaving them.
When she saw Claire, Mike Button was interviewing her. Ingrid always forgot that she was a high-society celebrity author.
“Oh, and we have Ingrid here, too. I suppose I can guess who you’re with.”
“Now I can tell you, Wentworth Racing always.”
“From Sky Sports, we were so sorry to hear what happened to you and how brave you’ve been in handling it all. I don’t even think brave covers it. I think Erik used the word gritty the other day, and that’s you”
“Thanks, Mike.” She smiled. “Speaking of Erik, we should go find him before the anthem.”
He was in the garage, finishing discussions with Hannah.
“There you are. We’ll have to make this a sprint one,” he said.
Hand on chest, kiss, “Don’t crash.” She whispered in his ear.
“Do you do that before all the races?” Claire asked.
“Yes, we’ve been doing it since China, I think…” Ingrid replied. “We hid it for so long that I can’t even remember when it started. Who was that gorgeous older man you were talking to on the grid?”
“Oh, he’s a former driver, turned some finance thing. He invested in one of the teams and is a part owner or something like that.”
“You mean Carlos Bartoli?”
“Yes, that’s it! I only really caught the first name. He’s a stunner, don’t you think?”
“Oh my god, Claire. Yes, he is, and he won two championships just over a decade ago. Has part-ownership in Nico’s sister team, Cuadra, and the Madrid football club.”
“Oh, good. I’ll get the full F1 experience then. He’s invited me for dinner after the race,” she said as if this were a daily occurrence for her.
They settled into the garage to watch the race. Ingrid was astounded that her friend had managed to snag herself someone on the grid, and Claire was just enjoying the excitement of watching an F1 race from inside a garage.